


The girl who lived and the Founders

by Ravenclaw_Peredhel



Series: The girl who lived - Helena Slytherin-Hufflepuff [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, F/M, Founders raise the Girl who lived, Girl-Who-Lived (Harry Potter), Good Voldemort (Harry Potter), Pre-Hogwarts, Sane Voldemort (Harry Potter), Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, The Founders are awesome, The Potter's are getting what's coming to them, The Potters are a bad family, genius, i like it when Dumbledore's plans get foiled, the 'light' side sucks, there'll be more as the story progresses - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23654773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenclaw_Peredhel/pseuds/Ravenclaw_Peredhel
Summary: Dumbledore is dumb-as-a-door and the potters believe him. Helena Potter is the Girl who Lived but everyone thinks it is her brother Ryan. She gets foisted on the Dursleys then the founders rescue her and bring her up.Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the HP universe not me, all I own is the plot. Credit to Fantasticoncer for the character of Helena, who I based Helena Slytherin-Hufflepuff on.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/OFC, Helga Hufflepuff/Salazar Slytherin, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Penelope Clearwater/Percy Weasley, Rowena Ravenclaw/ Godric Gryffindor
Series: The girl who lived - Helena Slytherin-Hufflepuff [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703134
Comments: 4
Kudos: 202





	1. Voldemort gets it right, everyone else gets it wrong

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter of the first series! How is it?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title says it all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing except Helena Slytherin Hufflepuff and Ryan Potter. Anything else isn't mine, except the plot

On Halloween 1981, Voldemort finally found the Potters. Or rather, their cottage with mother in law and Twins inside while the parents were at a Halloween party thrown by Wormtail. 

The door wasn't warded - a simple Alohamora and it swung open. The old woman was oblivious to him. The compulsions were telling him to kill her. So he did. Then for the children. The stupid prophecy hadn't even said which fucking child was the Chosen One. 

The boy was quite ordinary. Mousy brown hair, mud brown eyes, a vacant expression. His magic was shallow and shaped like a cup. Voldemort sneered, the child's magic would be weak and he would have little control, little more than a Squib. Definitely not him. Sitting next to him was his twin. A girl, soft black hair, vibrant green eyes, staring at him suspiciously. The magic was disturbing. Deep, deeper than he could see, deeper than anyone's he had ever seen. And bottlenecked. She would grow to have great control and an almost inexhaustible store. Definitely her.

He Stunned the boy and turned his wand on the girl. She stared at him, at his wand. He sighed, such a child would have been a great ally. "Avada Kedavra". A shining silver and gold shield burst from the little girl and the curse rebounded on him. As he felt himself leave his body he felt the compulsions stay with it. He was free.

The Potters rushed home, with Sirius and Remus in tow, they had felt the Black magic in their wards. They saw Helena crying with a lightening shape cut on her forehead. Ryan was sleeping peacefully. Then they saw Voldemorts wand. 

Dumbledore came as soon as they called him. He stared - one of the two children had killed Voldemort. He growled, that was his job. 'Albus?' Lily, his best student. He looked at her questioningly. 'Is it the Boy who Lived or the Girl who Lived?' Dumbledore hesitated. The girl felt as though she had been hit in the face with Dark magic. She was definitely Grey possibly Dark. The boy was Light without question. There was no choice.

Dumbledore drew a breath and smiled at Lily. "The Boy who Lived, definitely Lily." Helena was dumped on the cot and abandoned by all but Sirius. Everyone else was fawning over Ryan. 

And so it began. Because of Albus Dumbledore's blinkered views, he did not believe that a child who had even the slightest leanings towards anything not Light could defeat darkness. 

Almost everyone believed him and so Ryan grew up as practically a god, for something he had not done while Helena was ignored. 


	2. When your child saves your other child foist it on your abusive sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helena saves Ryan and is sent to the abusive Dursleys. The Founders are reincarnated by Fate and Magic so that Helga and Salazar can bring up Helena. Helena Potter becomes Helena Slytherin-Hufflepuff

Helena was brilliant. Ryan was stupid. Helena was kind and hard working. Ryan was lazy and a bully to boot. But Ryan was worshipped and adored while Helena was ignored.

*********  
On their fifth birthday, there was a huge banner saying 'Happy Birthday Ryan!". He got over 200 presents. Helena had no banner and got 7 presents. One from Sirius; one from Severus; one from the Lovegoods; one from the Longbottoms; one from Mr Weasley and his sons Fred, George and Percy; one from the Malfoys and one from the Tonks'. Ryan started bullying her and because it was Ryan, the adults encouraged it. She eventually managed to escape thanks to Fred ad George. 

She crawled under the table. Her friends exchanged looks to decide who would cheer her up and Nymphadora won. She crawled under the table and sat beside her friend. " Nym, I hate being me. I do the absolute best I can but then Ryan takes credit for it . He can't even read and I've read more books than his parents and and uncle Sev put together but everyone says that he's the clever one." She never called James an Lily her parents because they did not behave as such. Nymphadora Tonks was only nine years old. But at the age of four she had seen her father die at the hands of the Death Eaters. She had grown up quickly since then and was wise beyond her years. "It only matters when you let it matter." Helena nodded and wiped her eyes. " Your the best Nym." Just then, Ryan set off a huge firework. It sped towards him and his friends. Wandlessly and with lightening speed, Helena conjured a shield that absorbed the impact so that Ryan was not hurt. The adults stared for a moment at the shining shield that bloomed in front of him. Then almost all of them rushed towards him, ecstatic that his first display of accidental magic was so spectacular. Helena's small group of friends hugged her. The party continued until Ryan fell asleep. Then everybody went home. 

James picked up Ryan and he and Lily put him to bed with the utmost care. Then they stalked downstairs. Helena had been cleaning and washing with magic, but sipped just in time. The house was spotless. James loomed over her. "How dare you do that to Ryan?" He yelled. Helena was confused, even if she wa a genius she was five years old and very tired. "Conjure the shield?" James gaped, astounded at the, to him, blatant lie. Lily rushed in. "Ryan did that, you minx! He has the most spectacular displays of accidental magic, bless him. You on the other hand, have yet to show a spark of magic. After what you did today, you are unsafe to be around him. We are sending you to Petunias." And without another word, or even goodbye, James and Lily Potter created a Portkey to Petunia Dursley, pinned a note onto their five year old daughter and sent her off.

*********  
Fate and Magic looked down at Helena's plight in horror. "We need to do something, and fast." Fate states. Magic nodded. "But what? We could strip the Potters of their magic?" Fate shook her head. " That would just make them hate her more, especially if she keeps her magic which I know she will." Magic sighed. "Then what?" Fate shrugged. Thy sat in thought for a week. Then Fate jumped up. "I've got it!" Magic looked at her in interest. "Well, what is it?" Fate giggled in excitement. "We bring back the Founders!" Magic stared. Fate sighed and shook her head. "Think about it. The Death Eaters know that she is the Girl who Lived but everyone else thinks that it is that pig of a boy. So she needs to have someone powerful look after her. Several of them. She is a genius so they need to be geniuses as well as teachers. She needs a stable family with parents bad preferably an uncle and aunt. She has the potters and Dursleys. But what if she had the Slytherin-Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaw-Gryffindors?" Magic tilted her head and considered. "It could work. The Founders are powerful, geniuses and in stable relationships. They are teachers and have had children of their own. Moreover, Helena is a descendant of all four of them. It's brilliant!" Fate smirked, she rarely got the better of Magic. Fate clicked her fingers and four figures appeared. Two men and two women. Helga Huflepuff in yellow and black, with sparkling black eyes and long soft curling gold hair. Salazar Slytherin in green and silver with short straight black hair and killing curse green eyes. Rowena Ravenclaw in blue and bronze with piercing blue eyes and straight black hair. Godric Gryffindor is red and gold with curling red hair and twinkling black eyes. Fate and Magic high fived. "You know why you are here and what you need to do?" They nodded. "Then good luck." And they disappeared again.   
*******  
Petunia Dursley regarded herself as a very reasonable, kind and conscientious woman. She backed up this opinion with the fact that when her freak sister had sent her freak daughter to live with her, she had given her houseroom (the cupboard under the stairs), food (the leftovers once she had cooked for the entire Dursley family) and something to keep her mind off the fact that she had been thrown out by her own mother and father because her freak brother had had a tantrum (chores from 6 till 10). The fact that ten thousand pounds sterling went into her account months in exchange didn't figure. Helena would disagree. She had been shoved into a spidery cupboard which she could barely fit in, got one scant meal a day and in return was essentially a slave. But no one had asked her.  
She had been in this hell for a week, too scared to do magic and too tired to either, when the front doorbell rang. Petunia answered the door. 

Salazar Slytherin disliked these Muggles. It wasn't because they were Muggles but because they were essentially dislikable. He knocked on the door because he was the first there. It wasn't that he was eager to see this girl. Just that he was first there.   
The woman who answered looked like a horse. When they were sat in the living room, the man and boy who entered looked like a matched pair of walruses. He shuddered.   
Helga's calm and pleasant voice spoke. "Good day to you, Mr and Mrs Dursley, Dudley Dursley. We are here about Helena Potter." The repellant family froze, exchanging glances. Salazar smirked before continuing. "You needn't worry, we will take her off of your hands and you will never see her again. All we want is Helena." The woman put her head on the side and then nodded. She yelled, "Freak, there's some other freaks here to take you off our hands." The Founders were shocked, who talked to a five year old like that. It sent them back to the dark days when the ability to save a dying man meant you burned alive.   
A silvery voice interrupted their dark thoughts. "I'm Helena... Potter. Who are you?" They looked up, the hesitation before the last name not missed. When they saw the girl, it was like a physical shock. Here was a girl who looked like one of the better off Muggleborns back when they built Hogwarts. But beside the obvious abuse, she looked remarkably like Helga and Salazar. Her hair was as black and straight as Salazar's and as long and soft as Helga's. Her face and vibrant green eyes were Salazar but her lips and small hands and feet were Helga. She looked like their actual daughter. Helga stood up. " I'm Helga Hufflepuff and this is my husband Salazar Slytherin. We would like to be your parent if you will have us." The beautiful girl put her one side and nodded, the gesture so Salazar that Helga pinched herself. "But please..." she hesitated. Helga growled inwardly at whoever had done this to such a bright, beautiful girl. "Go on, Helena, we are all listening." She smiled at the girl was was rewarded by a timid one back. "Can I bring my books and things and who are they?" Salazar took over. This girl was special and he thought that as their descendants could not raise such a special child properly, their ancestors would have to do. "Of course you may child. Now , theses are Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor, and if you like, they will be your uncle and aunt." The girl nodded again and flicked her wrist. A small bag shot into it and there was a thud as of many heavy objects rolling around. She sighed. "I can't get the books to stay put." Helga laughed triumphantly, such a talented beautiful child. " Have you tried a stasis spell?"


	3. The Founders sort some things out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helga and Salazar formally adopt Helena and she finds her friends

Helena woke up the next morning with a feeling of .. she didn't really know. She would have said it wasn't right except that everything else except this felt right. 

She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a large room, as big as Ryan's. And it was decorate in silver and green as well - her favourite colours. The bedspread was yellow and black though. She shrugged as she sat up and tried to think.

The pretty lady and nice man had come and said that they wanted to be her mummy and daddy because James and Lily weren't doing their job right. And they had brought another nice man and lady who they said could be her uncle and aunt. But not like the other ones, and they didn't have a loud obnoxious cousin.

The door creaked open and she began scrambling out of the large, soft warm bed. The pretty lady, the one who said she could call her Mummy, came in. "Helena, why are you in such a hurry?" Helena froze. She must be late. "I...I'm sorry. It won't happen again." The lady frowned, anger pooling in her eyes. What had she done wrong? Helena shrank back and the pretty lady gasped. "No Helena, I don't want you to have to be like that." "Like what?" The lady sighed and a tear streaked down her cheek. "Scared darling, scared and worked half to death. We have seen too many children in your situation. We used to work in a school and some of the children had a home life much like yours. Look at me Helena. Your parents and then those horrible Muggles neglected and abused you. It was not right and you should not feel ashamed of it. " Helena didn't understand. James and Lily had told her that she was an attention seeking bitch and the Dursleys had told her she was a freak. They were grown ups so they must be right. She explained this carefully to the pretty lady. "No Helena. You aren't any of the horrible things that anyone has ever called you. You are special and talented and beautiful. We haven't known you for very long but we love you darling. The Potters and the Dursleys were horrible to you. They were not speaking the truth, they were trying to hurt you." Helena's five year old brain tried to comprehend what the lady was saying. It finally dawned. The people who had been so horrible to her were wrong! She wasn't a freak or an attention seeking bitch! And this lovely lady had yesterday said that he would be her Mummy. She burst into tears and flung herself at the lady.

She was caught and held in warm, safe arms, surrounded by a comforting smell that she would later learn was earth and sun dried hay. Footsteps came into the room and the man came in. His eyes looked sad when he saw her and he came and sat down next to the pretty lady. They talked to her and comforted until she didn't feel like crying anymore. She felt safer and happier than she could ever remember feeling. She trusted these people like Uncle Sirius and Uncle Sev and her few other friends. So she gathered her five year old courage."Can I call you Mummy and Daddy? I've never had a Mummy and Daddy just a James and Lily." The lady, Mummy, burst into tears and the man whispered to her that this meant yes.

Then time seemed to fly. They were having breakfast with the other nice people who she had been told were Uncle Godric and Auntie Rowena. Her clothes were being sorted through by her new Mummy and Auntie 'This won't do at all, Helena will need a whole new wardrobe and she can't just have Hufflepuff and Slytherin colours Helga.'. Uncle Godric and her new Daddy were teaching her Wizarding chess. They were explaining to her that they were actually the Founders, which made her squeal and pelt them with questions like a hailstorm, and that Fate and Magic had brought them back to look after her because she , not Ryan, was the Girl Who Lived.Then they were going by Floo, she liked Flooing because it was warm and tickly, to the Leaky Cauldron. 

Mummy held her hand and led her into Diagon Alley. "Mummy," Helena whispered, enjoying the sound of the word in her mouth, " where are we going?" Her new Daddy came next to her and took her other hand. "We are going to have to endure the torture that is clothes shopping. It was very easy when we were first alive - you made it all by yourself. But now you have to spend Galleons and Galleons on clothes. Rowena and Helga love it though.Weve only been on one trip and they've spent about 30,000 Galleons already because they had to get wardrobes for everyone. It was horrible." Helena giggled and Salazar beamed down at her. She had been abused to most of her life and had to study an live through stealth and deceit, but a little love and care and she was already blooming. 

Then he sneaked a look across at his wife and sister and groaned. They were already debating clothes. Women. He sincerely regretted his choice not to join a monastery several times over the course of the shopping trip. 

Helena loved it. It was bright colours and soft fabrics and trying things on. Her Uncle Godric and Daddy went to a place called Flourish and Blotts and got her loads and loads of books. Auntie Rowena and her Mummy went with her to Twilfit and Tattings to get a whole wardrobe. When they came out, she had discovered an interest in clothes and that she loves wearing pretty, girly things. 

She protested at the amount that they were spending, but they just laughed and said that they hadn't had a little girl to spoil for a long time and she needed it. She had never felt so pretty as when they left. She was wearing a white dress with sprays of red flowers over it and little red pumps with white stockings. 

Then they went into Gringotts. The goblins didn't scare her because she didn't know she was supposed to be. They arranged for a Blood Adoption and then an Inheritance test. 

The Blood Adoption was first so that she would not have to do the inheritance test twice. The ritual was easy on Helena and she only felt more protected. 

When they were in the meeting room, her father put his hands on shoulders. "Helena, this will involve having to cut yourself deeply enough to bleed. You do not have to and no one is forcing you to." She nodded and decided to anyway. 

There was was no reason not to do it and many reasons to do it. She dug the knife into her little finger and squeezed seven drops into the parchment. Her Mummy then healed the fingers. Bright green words, Salazar elbowed Helga at his colours,began to scrawl themselves across the page:

_Helena Isobel Slytherin-Hufflepuff (formerly Helena Isobel Potter, removed due to abuse)_

_Parents:_

_Mother(blood-adoptive) - Helga Slytherin-Hufflepuff_

_Father (blood adoptive) Salazar Slytherin-Hufflepuff_

_Mother(biological, no claim due to abuse) - Lily Marguerite Potter neé Evans_

_Father(biological, no claim due to abuse) - James Charlus Potter_

_Godfather -Sirius Orion Black_

_Godmothe- Narcissa Druella Malfoy neè Black_

_Godfather- Theodore Tonks (deceased)_

_Godmother - Alice Lucy Longbottom neé Prewett (permanent resident of Saint Mungo's owing to insanity from overexposure to the Cruciatud curse)_

_Siblings:_

_Ryan James Potter(no claim) - false Boy-Who-Lived_

_Titles-_

_Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black (owing Sirius Black's status as godfather and a strong relation to the Black's through paternal grandmother Dorea Black)_

_Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter (eldest child of James and Lily Potter)_

_Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Hufflepuff (through Lady Helga Slytherin Hufflepuff, blood adoption)_

_Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Slytherin (through Lord Salazar Slytherin-Hufflepuff, blood adoption)_

_Heir Apparent to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Ravenclaw (through Lord Slytherin-Hufflepuff, brother to Lady Ravenclaw-Gryffindor, only descendant of both siblings, blood adoption)_

_Heir Apparent to the most Ancient and Most Noble House of Gryffindor (through Lady Slytherin-Hufflepuff, sister to Lord Ravenclaw-Gryffindor, only descendant of both siblings, blood adopted)_

_Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Emerys (Magic's choice)_

_Lady of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Le Fay (through Lady Potter, unclaimed)_

_Lady of the Most Ancient and Modt Noble House of Pendragon (through Lady Potter, unclaimed)_

_Lady of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell (through Lord Potter, unclaimed)_

_The Girl-Who-Lived (wrongfully claimed by Ryan Potter)_

_total - 20 votes on the Wizengamot, when other Houses are inherited, 46_

_Abilities and Family Magics-_

_House of Black - Metamorphmagus_

_House of Potter - Occlumens_

_House of Hufflepuff - Elemental Magic_

_House of Slytherin- Parselmagic and Parseltongue_

_House of Ravenclaw - Legilimency_

_House of Gryffindor- Battle Mage_

_House of Emrys- All-speak_

_House of LeFay- Animagus_

_House of Pendragon- Mage Sight_

_House of Peverell- Death Magic, the Deathly Hallows_

_Core Type- Pure Neutral- all magic practiced with impunity_

_Blocks and Potions:_

_General Abilities Block- administered by Albus Dumbledore_

_Compulsion to be obedient and submissive - Albus Dumbledore_

_Occlumency Block- Albus Dumbledore_

_Legilimency Block- Albus Dumbledore_

_Animagus Block - Albus Dumbledore_

_Intelligence Block- failed, Albus Dumbledore_

_Family Magic Block- Albus Dumbledore_

_Marriage Contract- to Ronald Weasley, initiated by Albus Dumbledore, signed by Lord and Lady Potter._

The Founders exchanged horrified glances. "Griphook," said Salazar," Gringotts is still able to remove such blocks surely." Griphook grinned and said "of course we can, for a price". The price ended up being around 400 Galleons. The blocks were soon stripped and Helena felt really free.

Until she remembered the marriage contract. "Mummy, why do I have to marry Ronald. He hates me and always hits me and makes me cry." Helga and Salazar exchanged horrified glances, again. "No darling, you don't. We'll cancel the contract and you can marry whoever out would like. It's invalid anyway as it was signed by people who abused you." Helena sighed in relief.

They also changed Helena's dead and mad godparents to Rowena and Godric.

Once everything was sorted and the vaults had been visited, they had discovered that the Elder Wand did not carry the Trace so they decided to take it to train Helena in spellcasting. they left the underground and went up into the foyer.

There was a large knot of people there and Helena hesitatated for a second before running to them with a shriek of joy. "Auntie Cissa! Uncle Luci! Draco! Uncle Siri! Nym!Auntie Andi! I'm here everyone!" They started and turned. "Helena!"


	4. The Wizengamot Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helena and her family attend the summer Wizengamot session. James Potter make an ass of himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head canon, Luna is a year older so she can be with Helena and Tonks is Lady Tonks because her dad was a descendant on the Squib side from the Most Ancient and Noble House of Tonks.

Five years later...

"Helena? It's time to get up darling." Helga's melodic voice filtered through the shroud of sleep in the ten year olds mind. She groaned and turned over. She heard similar noises from Nym and Luna on either side of her, who had stayed for her pre birthday sleepover, as had Neville and Draco. Percy and the Twins couldn't come because Ginny's birthday was that day and she didn't know how to share.

Helga opened the door, eyes sparkling with mischief. " If you aren't down in five minutes, the pancakes wil no longer be warm and Salazar and Godric will have eaten them all."

Half an hour later, the pancakes were all gone and five children were blinking sleepily, full of pancakes. They were sitting in the living room, the size of a small hall, on the cost chaises around the fireplace. 

Helga came in just then. "There is one reason that I am glad the Twins and Percy aren't here and that is Mrs Weasley. She runs iron shod over all of our customs and traditions and then complains about our Slytherin decor. The last time she was here, she whined that we shouldn't rub our money in other people's faces! Ugh, I swear I will hex her the next time she pisses me off, I don't care if she declares a Blood Feud on me." Helena and her friends giggled, imagining that hexing a thousand years ago would be far different to hexing today.

At that moment, Godric rushed in with Rowena over his shoulder and a helplessly laughing Salazar behind. Godric announced that Rowena had said that if they didn't start getting ready, they would be late to the Wizengamot session. For some reason, it was on the same day as Ginny's birthday and exactly the same time as her party. No one suspected that it was a coincidence- everyone in Pureblooded society except Dumbledore's stooges loathed her and her two favoured children, pitying the unfortunate members of the family who were lovely but stuck with three nightmares.

Lord Weasley was said to be filing for divorce.

All of Helena's friends were their parents heirs, though none except perhaps the Malfoys could even remotely compare with the wealth and power of one of Helena's family's houses.

But they obediently scattered and began to get ready. They all obeyed the unwritten law which was that Heirs should wear white, even Nym and Helena, who were already Ladies but were underage so had proxies.

Luna's robe were actually fairly ordinary, until you looked at the intricate ivory patterns and realised that they depicted whichever fascinating creatures House Lovegood was interested in at the time. Neville's robes had plants, Draco's swans and dragons and Nym's bears and bees. Helena's depicted her ten house crests. She wore her Heir and Ladyship rings as well, though her parents and aunt and uncle were her proxies because she couldn't be bothered to deal with the fighting when she picked one or two of them, or so she said.

Dressed in their elegant robes, with Heir or Lord/Ladyship rings glinting on their fingers, the nine made a handsome sight as they made their way through the Ministry to meet with the Lords Malfoy and Lovegood and the Dowager Ladies Tonks and Longbottom. Lord Weasley and Percy were also waiting for them there. While Bill and Charlie were older than Percy, neither of them had inherited the Family Magic as strongly as Percy had and Bill preferred Cursebreaking to Politics while Charlie preferred Dragons. They had plenty of money and excitements. Neither of them enjoye the subtleties of politics anyway and it was Percy's passion. Spoiled Ronald and Ginevra had thrown a fit when they found out, though they couldn't do anything.

The group met up outside the doors to the waiting room, with Sirius showing up several seconds later in silver and black robes embroidered with Grims, the symbol of House Black, and motorcycles, because he could. So far, no one outside the close friends and family had noticed them.Which wasn't good considering that they were embroidered into every pair of 'Wizengamot robes' that he owned.

The Wizengamot was awfully stuff. The Lords or Ladies with their Heirs would sweep in by status. Helena's parents came in last because they had marginally more power than Rowena and Godric. 

The Wizengamot session would have been boring if Dumbledore hadn't been so manipulative- it was rather funny seeing him trying to sway people to 'the light' as anyone not in Dumbledore's group saw right through him.

Then, near the end, James Potter banged the doors open and swept in with Ryan skipping in front of him . Even Dumbledore's stooges gaped. The Wizengamot was in session. No one should interrupt and by coming in after the last family, they were implying that they were more important, even though they only had one fairly important Lordship while Helena's family had several very important Lordships.

The Potters obviously thought that they could get away with it or they wouldn't have come. Angry murmurs rustled around the Wizengamot as they strode towards the Potter seat. Everyone hissed viciously when the Potter chair seemed o barely accept James Potter, probably because he was almost never actually at the meetings. He waved his hand negligently. "Cornelius, Albus, Ryan is my heir ok?" No one spoke. 

Time seemed to freeze. No one spoke like that when the Wizengamot was in session. Helena watched as her arrogant bully of a brother swaggered to the seat. She grinned and clutched her mother's hand. Ryan didn't have the Heir rings, and even if he did, the seat wouldn't accept him. She Helena was the Potter Heir and nothing James Potter could do would change that. The false Boy Who Lived sat down. The chair rippled red and therew him out.

James Potter was out of his seat in an instant. The Wizengamot laughed. Draco stood up. "Lord Potter, perhaps my contemporary has forgotten to place his Heir ring upon his finger? You can only sit upon the seat when you have the ring after all. 

Potter frowned. "There's a ring? Ryan, I need to give you the ring love." He clicked his fingers. "Oh yeah! The ugly buggers. Goblin!" Griphook's voice rang out. "What do you want wizard?" It was followed by a few curses in the Goblin Tongue. Helena and her friends exchanged glances. They knew what was going to happen, they had planned and laughed it out with Griphook. "Where's the umm Heir ring." Even some of Dumbledore's idiots began to look scandalised. If the Boy Who Lived did not know about his Heir ring then something was seriously wrong with the Potters. Griphook smirked. "You cannot give it to your fake because the Potter heir has already claimed it." That sent talk rocketing around the room. The Boy Who Lived... a fake? People began to remember his twin, a beautiful girl, a genius really, who had always looked exhausted and half starved. She had disappeared very young, the last time anyone had seen her had been at the party. And hadn't she barely gotten any presents? She hadn't even got cake and had looked scared to death. James Potter's angry voice interrupted the speculation. "Whaddya mean, the Heir has got the ring? Ryan is the heir. I don't have any other children." Of course he did, little Helena, the beautiful girl. Griphook smirked again. "So you never had a daughter, fifteen minutes the elder, named. Helena Isobel Potter? The one who was starved and abused for her whole life with you? I wonder, have you been to you sister-in-law's recently? In any case, you did." "No I didn't!" James Potter blustered. "You're lying! Goblins always lie." Without realising, James Potter had just alienated himself to most of the Wizengamot. He was showing himself in his true colours, bigoted and lazy. Goblins couldn't lie about such matters, they would literally die. "I'm not lying. She took an inheritance after she was rescued from the Dursleys. She was there for a week and she still has health problems." The Wizengamot buzzed, never had something so exciting happened. Dumbledore was practically purple with rage at his plans falling down around his ears. "She is with a kind and loving, wealthy family now. You have no claim on her, but you owe her a life debt." 

James Potter gaped. "Why? The attention seeking brat never did anything worthwhile." Ryan chimed in and their fate was sealed. "He's right, she wasn't even good to punch." Griphook just spread his hands. "Everything that you have claimed is fake. Ryan Potter is not the Potter heir. The girl is. You were trusted with her life by Fate and she was nearly destroyed. Do not expect her to obey you ." Before James Potter could respond Griphook held up his hand. " By the power that Lady Magic and Gringotts Bank has vested in me, I declare that every word I have just said is true. If I lie, let my eyes fall out and my ears ooze maggots." Nothing happened. James Potter was pale with rage. And Dumbledore looked to explode.

Helena's Uncle Sev, Lord Prince, stood up. "I have been sworn to secrecy, all that I can say is that I have met the Potter heir. She was definitely abused by the Potters and the Dursleys as well. She has recovered remarkably well but she is still traumatised and suffers pain often. Fellow Members of the Wizengamot, I have met the girl. She exists and she is deeply hurt. Her new family love and protect her and will do anything to keep her safe." 

The session ended on that note and the Council streamed out. Helena and her friends were giggling and chatting avidly, hypothesising ridiculous possibilities of who Helena Potter was. Of course, they all knew but it was funny. 

Helena and her parents ended up meeting with Rita Skeeter. She was under a contract with them - anything that she wrote, every word and allusion had to be seen by them before she could publish it or they would reveal that she was an illegal Animagus. She interviewed them on the events of the day and then showed them her article. 

In Hogwarts, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore raged and stormed. James Potter had been fined and removed from Lordship of House Potter. The girl whom he had abandoned nine years ago was becoming powerful - at the age of 10 she was already the Lady of an Ancient and Noble House. Little did he know just how powerful she was...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter went its own way, sorry people. The focus wasn't supposed to be the Wizengamot session but it had a mind of its own. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism much needed and welcome but only if constructive


	5. Rita Skeetet and a visit to Gringotts.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rita Skeeter's article comes out. The Founders go to Gringotts and discovers something.

**James Potter - Heroic Auror or Abusive Father?**

**Yes, dear readers of Me, Myself and I, you read the title correctly. As you know, yesterday was the Summer Wizengamot session, one of the two where every Lord or Lady and Heir to every House must attend. The majority of the session was seamless, as you very well know rarely happens, second e the incident where the infamous Lady Weasley attempted to disown the Heir (for full details on this and the divorce in process between Lord Weasley and the soon-to-be ex-Lady Weasley, see page 9) or when the Founders Heirs attended their first session and Lord Slytherin was accused of drugging Lady Hufflepuff to marry him. But, dear readers, you will be shocked to hear of the revelations that took place in the last half hour of the session.**

**What revelations? I hear you ask. Well may you ask. Three and a half hours into the session, James Potter entered the Wizengamot. The father of the Boy-Who-Lived forced his way past the guards and entered well after the Founders Heirs - several hours in fact leading us to wonder if he believes himself better than the four most powerful Lords and Ladies in Magixal Britain, or indeed the Wizarding World. Surely not.**

**And James Potter did not end there. When he sat upon the Potter seat, it barely accepted him, rippling an almost red purple!**

**But this is nothing compared to what happened next. He addressed the Minister for Magic and the Chief Warlock, informally and by their first names, announcing his son Ryan Potter as the Potter Heir without even swearing him in. No wonder the chair rejected him. Yes dear readers, the Boy-Who-Lived was rejected as Heir Potter. And why may you ask? He did not have his ring, dear readers. And for the simple reason that the Potter heir had already claimed it!**

**Ryan Potter, lauded as heir to House Potter, now that we are on the subject it isn't even a particularly important house compared to such as the Malfoys, is not the Heir.**

**Surely, the parents of the Boy-Who-Lived would take him to Gringotts for an inheritance test? But they did not, and so he grew up believing in a false title. The Heir of House Potter had claimed her Ring.**

**Yes, dear readers, the Heir is a girl. How many of you remember Helena Isobel Potter? None, or very few. She was fifteen minutes before her younger brother Ryan James Potter. Until the fateful Halloween engraved in every Magicals memory, she was treated like a daughter.**

**But when Albus Dumbledore was called after the event, he declared Ryan Potter as the Boy Who Lived because he had a Light type Core. So for four years, Helena Potter was ignored and even abused. Dear readers, you will not believe what I will tell you. James and Lily Potter, because Albus Dumbledore stated that a Pure Neutral core could my have defeated You-Know-Who, Helena Potter was made a slave in all but name. She cleaned the manor and cooked the food. She had few clothes and belongings while we all know that the Boy Who Lived wants for nothing, and the Potter fortune must by now have dwindled significantly .**

**On her fifth birthday, she was given seven presents of which exactly none were from the Potters. She was bullied on her own birthday by her own twin brother.**

**When a firework set off by said brother nearly illegal him, it was Helena's quick actions and incredible magical control that saved him from death by explosion, yet she was consequently sent to Lily Potter's estranged sister Petunia Dursle with a grudge against magic.**

**Helena's adoptive mother stated, "We love Helena and she is still hurt from all that she has endured. She was abused, both mentally and physically from a very young age. Her biological family treated her like dirt." Here she paused to wipe away tears. Her husband took up the story "Shortly after we came to England, we found out that we are unable to have children. We were on the lookout for a child whom we could love and be loved by. We were walking one day and saw Helena being hit several times for spiking a little water on the floor due to being forced to carry a heavy pot full of vegetables and water. We decided then and there that we had to get her out of there. So we barged in like Gryffindors and saved our damsel in distress." As Helena's father finished, she smiles up at him before hesitating and realising she is in public. Her Pureblood Mask is so adorable. I asked her what she thinks of all this and her childish voice is clear and one of the loveliest O have ever heard. Very like her adoptive parents in fact - she looks like their biological daughter. "I didn't really think anything about it for a very long time. When it was happening, I assumed that that was how a girl was brought up. When Mummy and Daddy found me though, they started treating me as though Ivwas like Ryan Potter or Dudley Dursley. I soon realised that I hadn't been the bad or disobedient one, they had been the ones at fault. But now I have a family who loves me and cares for me so I don't care in the slightest. It was worth it all to have my family." Ah, dear readers, who wouldn't shed a tear st that. Me, Myself and I are quite unashamed to say that it brought tears to my eyes. Such a brave, mature beautiful child.**

**I then asked her if she remembers before the abuse began . She frowns, ah dear readers she is a really beautiful child, and answers slowly. "Sometimes I think that I can but to be really honest I don't try that hard. They all burned their bridges with me and when they treated me like that. I don't like to waste my energy on them when I can focus instead on my real parents." I query her on the phrase. "It's quite simple really." She says smiling sadly. "There is a Muggle saying that I can't remember but it is basically saying that blood isn't what matters in a family. I think that this saying is a description of my life. My blood family all abused me and then left me for dead with more blood relations who then foisted me on the first people to come by. Each and every one of them was horrible to me. But my real family shares a lot less blood with me than them and they love me and cherish me far more than anyone else. So they are my really family." Helena's mother and father hug her and I definitely spotted a tear in her father's eye.**

**But Rita, I hear you say, who are this mysterious mother and father. Do you really want to know dear readers? I will tell you a secret that they have given me full permission to. Dear readers, Helena Isobel Potter became Helena Isobel Slytherin-Hufflepuff! Yes, dear readers, the girl who was abused and left for dead was rescued by the Founders Heirs and brought up by them. Not only that but she has six Heirships and four Ladyships. But dear reader, I am under oath not to tell you the Ladyships. However, the Heirships are the Founders Houses and the Houses of Potter and Black! Although she is now Lady Potter because the title was stripped from James Potter.**

**So, dear readers, is this not the most amazing revelation? James and Lily Potter, the perfect adoring parents abused a little girl for not being hit by a Killing Curse and then left her with an abusive aunt an uncle for saving her brother's life. And Helena Slytherin-Hufflepuff, the lovely, genius daughter ofLord Slytherin and Lady Hufflepuff was once Helena Potter.**

**So, dear readers, I must leave you. With any luck, I will soon have more information...**

Salazar chocked with vindictive laughter as he put down the newspaper. "Well, for all that she is an Animagus, she is worth her weight in gold." Helga sighed. "Sal dearest, you read the article yesterday before it was published." He smiled sheepishly at her. "I know but it somehow seems so different in official newsprint." Helga rolled her eyes, not quite missing the smirk passing between her daughter and husband. Godric, as always burst into the dining hall. He read the article and then scowled at his sister and brother-in-law. "I can't believe you told them!" Salazar sighed, exasperated. "If we wait any longer, someone will find out and use it against us as blackmail. Besides it was the perfect opportunity - practically handed to us on a silver platter by Potter." Godric agreed, reluctantly. 

A few hours later, they were headed to Gringotts. But when they got to Diagon Alley, they were immediately swamped by reporters and other media. Although they were used to fame and media, the interest in them had just gone up phenomenally overnight

They eventually escaped and were soon riding down the rails in a cart, with Helga holding on grimly, Rowena and Salazae discussing who knew what(something about the carts and the Thieves Downfall) and Helena and Godric whooping at every bend/ They had received a missive from Gringotts that morning saying only to get to the Le Fay vault. 

When they it there, Helga wobbled, clutching Salazar while he and Rowena climbed out smoothly, still debating. Helena and Godric were still hyper, too much sugar with their pancakes and jumped out before launching into an impromptu dance. 

Griphook led the way to the Le Fay vault. He opened the door and they stepped in, staring around them.

"Mummy." Came Helena's voice. "Why is there suddenly loads of books and, ooooh! shinies!" Indeed, the Le Fay vault suddenly had many books and jewels in it, besides all that was already there. Salazar cursed. "You only just got it back didn't you." Griphook nodded and Godric growled. "I'm gettin my sword Sally, no one steals from Lena and lives." The men were already heading for the entrance when Griphook's voice reached them. "It was Albus Dumbledore. He out many warsa on them and it took us this long to get them back. Thankfully, every single item is now in it rightful place, in very vault. So, for the rest of the day, they toured the vaults, taking the prettiest jewellery and most interesting books.

However, when they returned and had packed it all away, Helga groaned. "Thank goodness for Undetectable Extension Charms. We would never have carried all that on our own." The others agreed and they all went to bed. No dreams interrupted their sleep and they would wake in the morning with no fears.

****

Albus Dumbledore cursed. He couldn't move against the Founders. He had always hated Hufflepuff and Slytherin's brat. No wonder if it was the girl. She had doubtlessly been corrupted by the snake, as had Lady Hufflepuff. After all, a Slytherin couldn't be good. He never noticed Fawkes' absence, but far away, a beautiful golden Phoenix was Bonding to a little girl, sleeping in the Founders Manor. 


	6. Fawkes and the Potters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fawkes adjusts to the household and the family has an unpleasant encounter.

Helena woke up to a warm weight on top of her and her mother's puzzled voice. "Helena, why is Fawkes on your bed?" Helena shrugged and wriggled further down in her warm bed before her mother's words registered. "Who's Fawkes, Mummy?" She heard laughter and opened her eyes. Her mummy was sitting on her bed and her daddy was standing behind her. Uncle Godric and Auntie Rowena were in the doorway laughing. Helga shot a dirty look at them. "Fawkes is a Phoenix, Helena." Her father said. "When we had finished Hogwarts, we discovered a nest of Phoenixes on one of the nearby mountains. We asked if a few would come and help is guard our school. Fawkes, and another names Hyphis agreed, although Fawkes said that he would only do it because he was waiting for his Familiar. And that, Lena darling, is you. Right Fawkes?" Salazar concluded his explanation and Fawkes preened and nodded.~snake-father is right, Helena.~ The little girl giggled. "Daddy, Fawkes says that you are right." Rowena and Godric burst out laughing at this and Helga laughed to. "Same old Fawkes - I'd almost forgotten Phoenix language. But you know what this means." Salazar and Godric groaned. "Shopping." 

Rowena looked offended. "It's not that bad, and we actually do need to shop. You don't have to come though. We'll look after Helena ourselves." Helga smirked as Godric and Salazar sighed in relief before going off to finish breakfast. "We're going to have to get some more chandeliers and tapestries as well." Helena frowned, they already had some. "Why?" Helga looked puzzled got a second before a lightbulb went off in her head. "Because it's your birthday soon and its Pureblood custom to have a ball every year on your birthday from the time you turn eleven, if your parents are a Lord or Lady. Both of us are, and we are two of the most powerful Lords and Ladies in Britian so your first birthday ball must be especially opulent." "But the thing we have now now are fine Mummy." Rowena sighed and took up the explanation. "We haven't had any special magnificent balls yet, though we've had a few understated ones, so we need to redecorate completely. Well, the places that those attending will see - your bedroom and anything first floor up can stay the same sweetie it's just the ballroom and the library and hallways and outside, alright?" Helena nodded. "Ok can we go now!" Her mother laughed. "Wait honey, we need to have breakfast."

So after breakfast, Helena's mummy and auntie took her to Diagon Alley. They found a lovely red and gold perch for Fawkes but there were no silver and green ones, so red and gold it had to be. Helga found a book Phoenixes and some food for him. They bought most of the decorations, except for the one that they could conjure.

Finally, they went into Gringotts to change some Galleons into Muggle money so that they could eat at the local food market. It was there that they ran into trouble. They had managed to mostly avoid the press that day, with a few run-ins but nothing major so they had let down their guard a little. They failed to notice James and Lily Potter coming in just as they finished. Griphook was teaching Helena about Muggle money. She was counting it slowly and Griphook was helping her. All of the goblins had a soft spot for Helena and her family becusd they were some of the few wizards who treated goblins, not only as equals, but friends. Helena was also one of the few who spoke the Goblin Tongue and her parents and uncle and aunt had all learnt it as well. Helga and Rowena were chatting with Sharpdagger and Steelsheen who were at the next desk over. 

When the Potters entered, the first thing that they noticed was Helena and two of her adopted family chatting in Gobbledegook to three different goblins. So, deciding that they could win back the girl and the Potter lordship, James Potter strolled up to her. "Helena, we've missed you so much. Why don't you come home with us, we be a real family again." Helena shrank back and her mother and aunt stepped in front of her. He was taken aback before deciding that two women in elegant dresses like theirs would be no match for him. "Sure, the people who adopted you can come. If you want them to, but you don't really do you?" James grinned at his daughter and wriggled his eyebrows. She shrank to her mother. "Mummy, are we done?" Helga glared at the man. "Yes we are darling, we still have some shopping to do though. The little girl nodded and her mother hugged her close.Lily scoffed. "Oh please, we all know she's not really your mother. In your mother, come here darling." Rowena almost chocked at the inability of either to speak or persuade properly, Helena could speak better at the age of five. Helena was fed up. Safe in her mother's encircling arms,she glared at the obnoxious people. 

Once she was scared of them, but now she has her mummy and daddy and Aunti Rowena and Uncle Godric, and her friends could speak with her and play with her without the risk of getting her beaten for 'stealing poor Ryan's friends'. She wasn't scared of them anymore. "No your not my mother. And you're not my father. Your just mean selfish people who used to hurt me. Well, I remember everything and I will never go back to you. I have mummy and daddy and Aunti Rowena and Uncle Godric. As I have all of my friends. So go away and stop bothering us." And they walked out, after saying goodbye to the goblins first. Just before the doors, Helena paused. "Remember, as Lady Potter I control your vaults. If you ever try to get me back or hurt my family again, I will cut off your access to the Potter gold and you will have to rely on something else." This threat should not have been chilling when consign from the mouth of a ten year old. But Helena was trained by Salazar Slytherin and she knew exactly how to be intimidating.They went to the food market after that it would be unlikely to be followed there. 

After samosas and other delicacies, they reentered the Leaky Cauldron ad applied a few Scourgifies to Helena. They then proceeded to enter Twilfit and Tattings, which was far better quality than Madam Malkin's though more expensive. The staff were ecstatic to be fitting the three most powerful women in Britain for a ball. 

When they came out, they were ready to return to Founders Manor. The fittings were always exhausting but they had their dresses and they had matching jewellery at home from the Le Fay, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff vaults respectively.

They never knew how close they had been to an unpleasant encounter with Albus Dumbledore who was looking for Fawkes.


	7. A Birthday Ball and a Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helena's birthday comes around, with attached ball, and so does her Hogwarts letter

The next week positively flew by. Helga and Rowena decorated the Manor, with help from Helena. They conjured flowers and fountains and airy silks. The chandeliers were dangle from the ceiling, which was charmed to show the sky like Hogwarts.

Hairstyles where tried against dresses and jewellery. Godric and Salazar were forced to get new robes which weren't in their House colours. The House Elves argued with Helga loud and long over the menu before Helena just passed them a piece of parchment with the perfect one in her neat handwriting. The fountains were checked over. 

Soon, everything was ready. It was the day before Helena's birthday. She wondered who her soulmate might be. Draco had been acting a little weird around her lately. She did like Draco. Nym and Luna were also great but she didn't think she was into girls. Neville was like a brother to her. 

She shuddered, remembering the annulled marriage contract to Ronald. Such a pity that he had to come- Lord Weasely's divorce was almost complete, but his still wife would have to come. 

Helena had had parties before, but they were all child parties with finger food and games and little to no dancing. But this would be a ball. Her parties were already famous as the event of the year for young Purebloods, but this would outstrip them by a mile. Unfortunately, the Potters had to come as her vassals. 

She determindly Occluded all negative thoughts and slept.

She woke up bright and early the next morning, before her parents and streaked from her bed to their room. They had told her that this was really the last year that she could get away with jumping on their bed. So she made it a huge jump and her parents woke up to a laughing girl on top of them.

Because they were having a ball later, Helena had two birthday dresses. She smiled to herself over her breakfast. Had she told her five year old self that on her 11th birthday, she would be living in Founders Manor, would have a loving mother and father, an amazing aunt and uncle, all her friends, more books than she could read, stunning jewels, beautiful clothes and a loving, happy family she would have never believed them. She wouldn't have told them to get checked at St. Mungo's though because she wouldn't have been brave enough.

Her innate Occlumency tuned in and blocked out the maudlin thoughts. Seeing her finished, her family swooped down on her and brought her to the living room. 

Gone were the days when Helena would have to hide her presents for fear they would be given to Ryan or Banished. They were given to her in pomp and ceremony (well, sort of) and she tore into each one in front of a loving audience. In addition, she had too many presents to hide them. 

As the sole Heir to the Founders' Houses, she was much sought after, even at 11. Her parents had already rejected a dozen marriage contracts for her, but many boys of fairlu important Houses were still plying her with gifts in the hope of winning her favour. 

She had particularly extravagant presents from her parents, naturally, but Draco's was a close second after her aunt and uncle's. When she was moving on from Draco's present though, she suddenly remembered. "My soulmark!!!" Her family laughed, ribbing her gently about forgetting such an important thing. She ripped up her pyjama sleeve and read the name on her wrist. Draconis Abraxas Malfoy. She squealed, glad beyond measure that it was her best friend (no, she hadn't had a crush on him since she was eight) who was her soul mate. The rest of the day went smoothly. 

Her friends all came over a few hours later. They had agreed not to show their soulmarks until they all had them. Nym's was Remus Lupin, who was quite handsome and was in the Department of Mysteries. He also had disowned the Potters, completely breaking ties with them after they had found Helena. Neville's was Luna and Luna's was Neville. Draco's was Helena and Helena's was Draco. Fred's was Katie Bell and George's was Angeline Johnson, who were in their year at Hogwarts. Percy's was Penelope Clearwater. 

They spent the afternoon playing Quidditch before the rest of the Weasleys arrived. Charlie and Bill were welcome but the others most certainly were not. And only Charlie and Bill had been invited at that time. Those two apologised, their mother had followed them without permission. Helena said that she didn't mind. After all, they wouldn't be allowed in the private quarters that those they truly did like would be. 

Lady Weasley, about two days from being Ms Prewett, did try to intercept them but they knew Founders Manor well and evaded her easily. 

Soon, it was time to get ready. The men and boys were locked up by the House Elves who then proceeded to wrangle them into their formal wear. The women and girls all got ready together, fussing over Helena. 

Eventually, they were all ready. When Helena saw Draco, she suspected that his mother and her mother had talked. Their clothes were matching.

Then it was time to enter the ballroom.

********** 

The guests looked up. It was traditional to come to a ball with your soulmate and so they were all interested in who the soulmates of the 'Silver Octo' were. The parents had had a hectic day though as they had to arrange for families of soulmates to come and arrange the procession. The procession was the closest friends of the host and their parents and it was all stressful. 

First came Lord Lovegood, with Lady Lovegood in white and gold, the Lovegood colours. Then Dowager Lady Longbottom in a green and grey dress. Luna and Neville were the first pair to come in. Luna's knee length hair was streaming towards the floor over a stunning green and white dress. Neville's robes were green and white as well, and they looked a perfect couple. Then came Lord and Lady Clearwater. Lord Weasley and Lady Weasley seemed barely civil to each other, which was not unusual. They weren't each other's soulmates, the rumours said- Lady Weasely had forced Lord Weasely into a marriage contract for his money, and Lord Weasley was divorcing her now because he had found his soulmate. Unlike most rumours, this was actually true. 

Next came Mr and Mrs Bell, then Mr and Mrs Johnson. Finally, Fred and Katie, in green and gold came , followed by George and Angelina in red and brown. Percy and Penelope were in blue and gold. Dowager Lady Tonks entered in black and green followed by Nym on the arm of Remus Lupin. Sirius wolf whistled from his place in the crowd, next to his wife Lilith, Lucius' younger sister. Nym and Remus were in green and brown, they would be a handsome couple when Nym grew up. Helga and Salazar entered next in yellow and green. The guests held their breath- the next couple through that doorway would be Heir Hufflepuff-Slytherin's soulmate's parents. Lord and Lady Malfoy glided in in black and silver. A gasp ran through the crowd and Albus Dumbledore chocked, hoping he'd be wrong. 

Through the doorway strode Draco Malfoy in blue and white robes. On his arm was Helena. 

Her dress was white and floaty with a dark blue overdress over, made of the same material. The overdress was joined at the waist to the white underdress. The white dress was sleeveless so that slender white arms emerged from slit dark blue sleeves that fell in a mist to the ground. Silver and sapphire jewelley, tasteful and delicate but not too mature, adorned her wrists and neck and head. Her long black hair had a white-blond streak through it. Her huge green eyes were sparkling. Those who were not gaping at the lovely children or muttering about the twin of the Boy-Who-Lived being with the son of an accused Death Eater were whispering about what a perfect couple they made. 

The ball was wonderful, and Helena loved every moment of it. The expression on Dumbledore and his loyal Order of the Flaming Chicken, no offence to Fawkes, had been priceless. Especially when Fawkes uttered a low cry and landed on her shoulder. Helga and Salazar had talked with parents and Dumbledore. Just after the dessert had disappeared, a flock of school owls came in with the letter for every Pureblood or Halfblood child who was at the ball and would start at Hogwarts. 

Helena had laughed at seeing the motto of the school. Her mother had told her about the incident that led to it. It involved a drinking game, a drunk Godric and Salazar and a dare. It had apparently created a permanent imprint of a Hungarian Horntail's tail on the top of Gryffindor Tower. Godric had tried to remove it, but Rowena had charmed it permanent. Helena Ravenclaw-Gryffindor, now the Grey Lady, and her siblings had drawn several pictures of the event on the stone which were likewise permanent. They had often involved Godric's head on fire, because it was, and Salazar hiding behind a bush, because he was going to jump out a scare the dragon because he was drunk, or Salazar joining Godric with his head on fire because he had forgotten that dragons spoke a dialect of Parseltongue. 

Either way, any time a female of the Founders household saw the motto, they laughed.

Helena and Draco began the first dance, with others joining them until the dance floor was filled. It was smooth and slow but got faster until there was no way you could dance it without having the Old Blood active in you. This guided you taught you through Pureblood society in the form of instinct. It was only active in those who followed the Old Ways and so the Loyal order of the Phoenix were struggling. Ryan was just standing there as Lily and James danced disco style.

Afterwards, Salazar brought a man over. He was tall and dark haired with a handsome face and dark brown eyes over. Salazar opened his mouth but Helena beat him . "Tom!" She squealed and threw herself st him. Draco smiled and hugged him and Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort (which was perfectly well known to Helena) hugged them back. He had been a part of their lives for a long time and was like an older brother to Helena. In fact, Helga and Salazar had adopted him two years ago. It wasn't necessary as her was of age but they wanted him to be part of the family. The rest of her family and friends buried him and his wife Regula in a hug, glad to see him again from his trip around the world, observing potions as he wanted to take the potions job so that Serverus could finally teach DADA as he was always griping about it. 

Helena's best birthday present though, was Albus Dumbledore's face. He knew who Tom was, and he couldn't do anything. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the closeness of her friends and family. This was the best birthday ever. Even though their Pureblood masks had been torn away. It was fine. This late into a ball, everyone who was of age was a little tipsy.


	8. Diagon (again) and Hogwarts preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helga takes her sister and daughter shopping (again) for Hogwarts stuff and they prepare for Hogwarts because Helga is freaking out over her little girl going (don't ask me why)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tom's Horcruxes are gone because the Founders are good at magic and they brought back Tom because he was another descendant of Helga and Salazar and he basically had no life because Dumbles had him under compulsions from age 10. Also, I wanted Helena to have a sibling and they can't have kids. And cos I like the Good Tom idea.

Helena woke up early the next day because Fawkes burnt up. She knew that it was a perfectly natural part of a Phoenixes lifecycle but it still freaked her out. 

When she went downstairs, she was overjoyed to find that Tom and Uncle Sev were still there. So was Regula Riddle neè Black (Tom's wife) and Rabastia Snape neè Lestrange (Uncle Sev's wife). They all smiled at their favourite girl.

"We got the posts." Sev told her, waving the parchment in front of him. Helena squealed and jumped up and down, accidentally landing on her father as he was coming in behind her. He laughed and swung her over his head. "Daddy! Did you know." "Of course we did Lena." Came her mother's voice. Then it continued excitedly. "And because it's so close to Hogwarts time we can go shopping now - we've only got a month and we'll have to pack and study and everything in the meantime." Salazar groaned, Helena squealed in excitement and Regula and Rabastia perked up.At that moment, Lucius fire- called to beg them to do their Hogwarts shopping with the Malfoys' an preferably get Lucius out of it because Narcissa was mad.

In the end, Helga, Rowena, Pandora Lovegood, Regula, Rabastia, Narcissa, Andromeda and Augusta Longbottom took Helena, Luna, Neville, Nym, Fred, George, Percy and Draco shopping. They also needed to get a load of stuff for Rabastia and Sev's baby girl when she arrived.

So, they ended up shopping all day. Because no one in that group found everything boring. It took two hours to get the children away from Flourish and Blotts and Quality Quidditch Supplies. Eventually they had everything done and were heading for Madam Malkin's. She was the only one who did Hogwarts robes because Twilfit and Tattings couldn't get Dumbledore to let them as they were vaguely Dark.

They hadn't had any trouble all day as no one was stupid enough to mess with 16 of the most powerful Purebloods in England. Their robes and dresses screamed money and power and their Pureblood masks were impenetrable. So they weren't expecting any trouble in Madam Malkin's.

At first everything was fine. Everyone was fitted and went to wait at Fortescue's. Helena went last and her mother and Regula were the only ones there. Not that there was anything to worry about, both witches were highly skilled - Regula because of her Black upbringing and the war between the Light and Dark and Helga because she was Helga Hufflepuff she could do anything. 

Helena was mostly done hen the door opened. In came Ms Prewett, the divorce had gone through a day earlier than expected and she had her spoiled brats while Lord Weasley took care of his children and courted his soulmate, Heiress Artemis Crouch. Molly Prewett had the loathsome Ronald with her. She turned and screeched at one of the assistants to fit her darling boy's robes. Thankfully they were soon done because he only needed one pair. Helena needed several.

They had just breathed a sigh of relief when the door opened again. In came Professor McGonagall, she was one of the good ones, with a bushy haired buck toothed girl. 

Hermione Granger was Gavin a great day. She had alway been the top of her classes and now she could be the top of her classes in the best magic school in the world. In the robe sho, robes, so last millenia, was a family. A woman with long curling blond hair and sparkling black eyes. She was short and slender and wore a green dress trimmed with black. The woman next to her was tall and slender with long wavy black hair and mercurial silver eyes. Her dress was the exact colour of the sky and Hermione sneered. These were obviously gay women, flaunting their unnaturallness to everyone with their money rubbing everyone up the wrong way. There was a girl on the stool, tall and slender with black hair below her knees and huge eyes an impossible shade of green.

Helena was almost done with her final pair of robes. She was chatting to her adopted sister-in-law, Regula about the use of Parselscript in wards. Regula's objection was there was about 3 people in Britain who spoke it. The other girl marched up to Helena, Minnie didn't notice because Helga had drawn her into a conversation on Animagi and the possibility of multiple forms. The girl confronted Regula and called her gay like it was a bad thing. Regula brandished her ring to Tom and told her off before stalking away, annoyed that anyone could think she liked her adopted mother-in-law. No, Helga was like a mother to her, eww. 

The girl stared at Helena. "Who are you? I'm Hermione Granger, I'm going to be the cleverest witch in Hogwarts, how did you find out about magic, I got an awful shock when Professor McGonagall showed up and told me I was a witch." Helena didn't dislike people for what they couldn't help but what they could. This girl was arrogant, brash and very annoying. So she decided to play the 'most important girl in Britain' card. "My name is Helena Slytherin-Hufflepuff. I have five Heirships and ten Ladyships. I've been practicing magic since I was 5 and I'm going to sit my O.W.L.S. in the Yule holidays. I'm a Pureblood - I can trace my ancestry back beyond the Founders and Morgan Le Fay. My mother and father are Lord and Lady Slytherin-Hufflepuff." The other girl sneered. "So your an arrogant shit who piggyback ma on her parents wealth and doesn't work for anything. I doubt you can trace your ancestry to Morgan Le Fay , besides, she was evil."An obvious ploy and she happened to look at Professor McGonagall. The Professor looked at her like over glasses and strokes a beard. Ah, the girl served Dumbledore. She refused to get ruffled, obviously Dumbledore wanted to show her as an evil snake. "Miss Granger, which part of an 11 year old sitting several fifth year exams is piggybacking on my parents wealth? Obviously, you wouldn't understand, not being from a Wizarding home. Madam Malkin sighed as the girl moved and spoke up. "Lady LeFay, please don't move right now I am almost finished. Miss Granger please wait until I am finished. I will be owling your guardians, you do not just come in an insult my most prestigious customers. You've barely joined the Wizarding world and you are telling a girl your own age that she is evil because she is descended from a powerful witch who is portrayed as a villain by Muggles? Morgan Le Fay was a champion of wizardkind and is one of our idols. Now I suggest that you keep your mouth shut before you do anything to upset the most important girl in Wizarding Britain."

Madam Malkin was soon done and they made they're way to the others.

After heaps of the excellent ice cream, they all went home. Helena had completely forgotten about the encounter.

Helena went to sleep that night to the sound of her mother packing and repacking even though they had packed her trunk before dinner. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify- Regula is not homophobic, she is angry because a child just walked in and yelled at her, assuming that she was married to Helga and Helga is the mother that Walburga Black never was. So she is annoyed as this arrogant Muggleborn waltzed in and judged her, for being something that she was not.


	9. Last minute preperations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helena and her family prepare for Hogwarts...

Helena and her friends spent the next month in a whirl of preperations. They found out that Madam Malkin could work with Twilfit and Tatting to do the robes so that they were more perfectly tailored to their bodies. They avoided Dumbledore and his stooges as much as possible.

Two weeks before they left for Hogwarts Rabastia went into labour at three in the morning. Sev was practically frantic with worry for her and she was just laughing at him. They went to St mungo's and very soon Cassiopeia Fuschia Snape was introduced to the large extended family. Bellatrix and Rodolphus were ecstatic over their second niece/nephew. Tom and Regula exchanged a we want a baby too look and Rowena and Godric began whisperinf about adoption.When Rabastia was allowed to leave, Severus was hovering over Rabastia and the others chattering excitedly about the baby. Draco and Helena were making plans with their friends for Hogwarts. 

At the desk were the Potters, checking in for a health check for Ryan as they didn't want their precious son in Hogwarts without being certain that he was completely healthy. Not the Boy Who Lived! 

Lily Potter saw them and sneered. "Come to gloat? Not surprised. Any group of people with a bloody snake is up to no good." 

Her words were brushed off like a few drifting feathers by the adults but Draco and Helena growled at the insult to Salazar's house. Draco opened his mouth before Helena tapped him, her eyes glinting maliciously. She stepped forwards, ignoring Godric's whispered, "Helena goes in for the kill! " James and Ryan Potter stopped yelling at the mediwitch for refusing them a checkup without a valid reason, like am underlying health condition.

Like an idiot, Ryan opened his big mouth. "Whaddya want sis? Lemme guess! An actial family with parents! Sorry you can't have one - it's mine. So toddle off with your fucking snakes and don't bother me again you good for nothing waste of space!" Lily and James smiled at Ryan as though he had said something clever and cutting. Helga and Salazar stepped so that they were just behind their daughter. Rabastia, Severus, Tom and Regula eyed the unfolding scene with a wicked mirth, while the rest watched imassively.

Helena cocked her head and smiled viciously at the Potters. Her hair and skin drained of colour leaving it completely white. Her eyes went black and she smiled at them revealing too many thin fanglike teeth. "Freak!" Shrieked Ryan and Helena laughed, a tinkling diamond hard laugh. Her hair went back to its original color and grew until it reached the floor. Her eyes went white and her lips as red as blood. "Oh dear. How hurtful! I'm wounded. Why, I would almost think you didn't want me. Oh wait..." James interrupted her, shouting, "Lily and I are your parents you ungrateful bitch! And you will address us with the respect you deserve as Lord and Lady Potter." Helena's hair went red and trailed behind her on the floor as she turned around and went to her parents. They smiled at her and held her hands. Salazar gestured to Helga to take the floor. She grinned at him and laid into the Potters. "You know, it's funny. Every single word of what you just said is wrong. You are not Helena''s parents. If you were, you would never have laid a hand on her. You would have loved and nurtured her. You would never have given her to the Dursleys. We are the ones who took Helena away from there. We are the ones who have loved her and raised her. You don't deserve her repect. You don't deserve anyone's respect. Unless we're suddenly in a parallel universe where respect is earned by beating toddlers. The only reason that you aren't in Azkaban is that they didn't want to put the parents of the Boy Who Lived in jail. And if I were you I would be very very careful. It would not be ... advisable to go around insulting my daughter. Because if you do we will cut off your access to the Potters vaults and we will kick you out of Potter manor. " She turned and high fived Salazar, giving Helena a hug. Then they all left, giving the wary Potters a wide berth. 

The night before she left for Hogwarts, Helena had a flashback for the first time in a long while. She woke up screaming. Helga and Salazar rushed in and Helena held out her arms like a little child, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, sweetheart." Hega whispered as they folded her in a hug, rocking her and calming her. They exchanged a worried look over her head, communicating silently. "Helena," Salazar whispered, "do you want Dreamless Sleep or a Calming Potion or anything?" She hiccuped as she thought about it, clinging onto her parents with all of her strength as if scared that they were going to melt away. "Dreamless Sleep Daddy." He Summoned it and she gulped it down. They rocked her until she fell asleep.

At breakfast the next morning, Helena was excited and hyper. She had no memory of the nightmare and her brain, even though it was a genius brain, was still young enough that she was only focused on Hogwarts. Helga and Salazar exchanged a relieved look. After breakfast, Tom drew his little sister into a side room. "Lena, you know when I was mad." She nodded. "Yup! You cast the Killing Curse at me ." He flinched and she giggled. "I know it wasn't you Tom. I could See the compulsions. Magesight remember?" He clapped a hand dramatically to his forehead. "Of course! How could I forget! My humblest apologies oh most noble and talented of enchantresses. Now," and here he became serious again, " I need you to focus, sis. I used to say that I was Dad's Heir and I used that a lot. I also had Dad's locket. But your the Heir and I have an idea that will make Dumbleidiot so mad. He knows that I made it into a Horcux." Here, Helena interrupted. "Can I just say, Horcruxes are disgusting and all they do is drive you mad because you often get killed anyway and your Horcruxes destroyed and everything. And how you make them? That should put everyone off. And you did that six times! Seriously Tom, you were messed up back then." He sighed and put a hand up. "Yeah, I know all that and you have said it before, every single time that I bring Horcruxes up. Now, as I was saying before you interrupted me, Dumbledore knows that it was a Horcŕux but not that it isn't anymore. So I'm going to give it to you. " He slipped the locket over his little sister's head and she squealed with delight. "Thank you Tom! It's so pretty! I love you Tom!" And she hugged him before running to show the rest of the family and all the elves. Salazar only just stopped her from firecalling Draco by reminding her that she would see him in a few hours. 

Eventually, all was ready. Helena, Tom and Regula were all packed and ready for Hogwarts. Tom and Regula Apparated there and Helga and Salazar Apparated Helena to platform 9 3/4. Rowena and Godric were buried in adoption papers for two Muggleborns named Collin and Dennis Creevey whose parents had dropped them of at an orphanage because they didn't want 'children with the devil in them'. There was a Squib on the orphage staff who had contacted the Ministry. 

Godric and Rowena had visited them and decided to adopt them. Helena wanted some cousins anyway. They peppered her with hugs and kisses and then her parents took her to platform 9 3/4 and the school that they had founded a thousand years ago.


End file.
